This report was written by Dr Gillian Henderson, Information & Research Manager, Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration, with support from CYCJ.
The Children’s Hearings System mainly deals with children under the age of 16. However, some young people aged 16 and 17 are also involved in the Hearings System. This may happen where they are still subject to Compulsory Supervision Orders (CSOs), or where their case is remitted to the Hearings System for disposal following conviction by a court.
Scotland’s Youth Justice Strategy for 2015 to 2020 aims to support young people in the transition to adult services and for diversion from prosecution and custody, including that more cases are remitted from the criminal courts to Children’s Hearings.
This research was carried out to provide evidence to inform the implementation of the Youth Justice Strategy. It looks at the cases of all young people with advice requested from criminal courts and Children’s Hearings held in 2015-16 and any remittals following this advice; and those cases remitted from courts in 2015-16 where there was no previous advice request.